Articulator



Nov. l1, 1941; E, L., cHoT-r 2,262,574

ARTICULATOR Filed May 6, 1940 mmnnul Patented Nov. 11, 1941 2,262,574' ARTICuLAToR Edward L. Chott, Chicago, Ill., assignor of onehalf to Hugo J. Chott, Chicago, Ill.

Application May 6, 1940, Serial No. 333,492

8 Claims. (Cl. 32-32) This invention relates to dental articulators used in the art of dentures for the purpose of producing artificial dentures or sets of teeth, and the object thereof is to produce a novel and desirable dental articulator for producing and f setting the articial teeth in a wax base in proper relation to each other and testing the same before insertion in the persons mouth and is a continuation in part of my prior application, Serial No. 142,790, iiled May 15, 1937, and patented May 7, 1940, No. 2,200,058.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel, positive and accurate adjusting means for holding the upper denture in proper relation to the lower denture or in alignment therewith in the exact relation or condition as in the mouth of the patient so that the proper lit will be insured.

It is now clearly established that the biting areas of the teeth, taken together, lie along a plane which is the curve of a sphere having a radius of four inches and is known as the occlusal plane. This plane is substantially accurate for approximately 95 percent of adult human teeth, and in the manufacture of artificial dentures, a templet having this curvature is used in the articulator. As is well known by those skilled in the art, the actual angle of the setting of this plane differs with different people and also the depth of the gums of the upper and lower jaws, respectively. Furthermore, in the art of mechanical dentistry where both upper and lower dentures are to be made, one or the other is customarily complete before the making of the other, and the two are then fittedtogether and aligned, and in this process many separate steps, including tests and adjustments, are necessary. It is therefore desirable in an articulator that the position of the occlusal plane be carefully determined, and that thereafter, the dentures may be made utilizing the templet as much as may be necessary, and that the initial adjustments be not lost; also, it is necessary that the upper denture mechanism be separated from the lower and replaced without losing the adjustments.

Another object of the invention is therefore to provide a dental articulator which approximates as closely as possible the jaws of the human mouth formation and articulated movement of the lower jaw, as well as means associated therewith to insure that the device when adjusted will be positively retained in adjusted position.

Other objects and advantages will appear and be brought out more fully in the following specii'lcation, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, wherein: l

Fig. 1 is a plan View of a dental articulator in accordance with the invention;

Fig. '2 is a side elevation thereof partly in section;

Fig. 3 isa vertical section taken `on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1; y

Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the upper element taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. l;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a vertical section taken on the 1in 'I-I of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 8 is a vertical section taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, there is shown a dental articulator having a base or lower part I0 from which extends spaced side members or upright posts II shown formed integral therewith and connected by an upper cross member I2 having a forwardly inclined upwardly arched or curved central portion I3, the branches of which curve toward the ends thereof. This cross member is provided with a bottom recess I4 at the back and a ilat part I5 at the front extending substantially vertically to produce upwardly facing inclined shoulders I6 at the ends of said flat part which is also in the formof a recess. The central portion I3 is provided with a depending lug Il at the front with its inner,

face spaced forwardly from the wall ofthe flat part I5 and with a threaded hole I8 to receive an adjusting screw I9 having a large ilat head 20 at the bottom and engaged by a Wing nut 2I at the top to hold the screw in adjusted position. The ends of the cross member I2 beyond the side members II are provided with side extensions 22 having bearing heads 23 at the ends thereof with upwardly and rearwardly openv bearing slots 24 and flat bearing Ways 25. A bow spring 26 hav-r ing a top recess 2l at the center straddles the sides of the lug I1 and ts in the recess I4 against the flat part I5 and rests on the shoulders I6, while the curved ends 28 thereof are ncrmally under tension toward the bearing heads A23.

The top member or bracket of the articulator is designated at 29 and has a plate yportion 30 for holding the upper denture the same as the. base or lower part ID holds the lower denture. These dentures usually consist of a wax impression around which plaster is poured, as well as around the upper and lower members to provide a good foundation or support for the wax im- `zontally threaded bore 33.

pressions in the relation intended for the patient. The top member has a central depending lug 3l with a hook 32 extending rearwardly and turned up at its free end to engage the head 20 of the screw i9 'and this lug 3| has a hori- Depending axially spaced hubs or lugs 34 are provided beneath the top member 29 and vlike the lug 3i are preferably formed integral therewithas well as aligned horizontally with the lug 3|. Thel lugs 34 are provided with threadedfbores 35 aligned with the bore 33 in horizontal axial relation and at the bottom with vertical threaded bores 36 communicating at the top with the threaded bores 35. A friction locking member 31 is provided at ders or end portions 43 thereof relative to the inner faces of the upright side extensions or bearings 22. In other Words, by adjusting the trunnions oppositely to the inner faces of arms 22, the upper support may be shifted toward one side and vice versa. Thus the articulator may be used for effective testing and setting the alignment of teeth after they have been set up to insure that they are properly aligned to t the patient and so that the biting and chewing movements may be made in the proper manner,

, In this way the articulator is used to obtain the necessary adjustments without requiring that the upper portion of each threaded bore :36 Varidis preferably in the form of a plug of `soft metal the device be applied to the patient and .to insure that the grinding operations will produce accurate adjustment so that the dentures will properly t the person for whom made and so such as alloy which is flowed or forced into position by inverting the lugs with the bores v35 or lower ends of the bores 36 closed, as will'be later described. Set screws 38 arewengageddn, the bores4 36 to force the locking-members o r plugs 31 to frictionally engage trunnions o r shaft sections 39 at their threadedrfinner portions 40 which are threaded inf the bores 33 and :35, The metal of the locking members or plugs 31 are forced into threads 40, and as .the metal of the latter is harder than that of theplugs, the

' threads 40 will cut into the metal of the plugs,

but primarily the plugs will so frictionally en- Agage the threaded portions of the trunnions that the latter will be positively heldin adjusted position spaced apart at theirA inner ends in the bearing lug 3|. The trunnions 39 may be turned any suitable way, as by suitable holes 4l in lwhich a key, nail or pin is inserted. The trunnions 39 have reduced bearing portions .42 rvat their outer ends forming outwardly facing shoulders k43at theouter ends of the trunnionsv 39 to engage Vor lie withinl the inner sides of the. side 'extensions 22. Manipulating kn-urled knobs 44 are provided on the en dsof :the trunnions 39 at their bearing portions 42 and may be in the form of nuts engaged on thef threaded lends 45 of said a bearing portions. By thismeans', the klowersupport or base membensimulating the lower jaw, may y.be'pivote'd on the upper support in the same manner as with the lower jaw of the patient and the spring-26 will notvonly retain the' pivot axis of the upper supportin position with respect to the lowersupport and viceversa, but will fricl tionally hold the same due 'tothe ends 28 yof the spring engagingY the ends of .the trunnions and preventing the displacement of the reduced bearingportionsy thereof vfrom the slotted bearings y24,*'although there may beproper condyle and incisular movements of the 'dentures relatively, as mounted on Vtheupper Vand lower supports l whichv are Acapable of 'such vrelative movements.

Moreover, the trunnions may be adjusted in or outaxially horizontally in the threaded rlugs 3| and'y34 at their threadedbores 33 and 35 merely by. releasing 'theset yscrews of the locking devices andturning the, trunnions by pins inserted in theholes 4I or byl meansof the knobs 44. The

upper and lower supports may be adjusted toward and away from f each other andthe adjustment maintained by the set screw I9 which may be held by the wing nut 2 I so that the extremity of the, hook 32 willengage the head 20 thus establishing the proper angular spaced relation between the dentures. The dentures may be shifted sidewise, or laterally with respect to 'each otherby adjusting the trunnions-and the shoulinvention into effect, this is capableof variation and .modification without departing from the vspirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth,.but desire to avail myself of such variations and .modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure lby Letters Patent is:

1. In a dental articulator having upper and lower members for supporting dentures, said upper member lhaving depending threaded lugs, trunnions threaded into said lugs and having bearing portions pivotally supported on the other member, and means engaged .in the ylugs and with the ,peripheries of the trunnions to hold the same against turning.

,2. iA dental articulator comprising a lower member -with an upstanding portion provided with rearwardly Yand upwardly open bearings and QIWardly inclined ways in rear thereof, an upper member having a central depending lug and a depending lug on each side thereof in spaced relation thereto, all of said .lugs having threaded bores inv axial alignment, trunnions having threaded inner ends engaged through the second-named lugs and into the first-named lugin spaced're'lation at their innerY ends, said trunnions having reduced outer portions forming shoulders; adapted to abut the inner` faces of the bearings'with the reduced portions pivoted in the-bearings', vmea-ns to hold said trunnions in the bearings vand vmeans to adjust Vthe upper member in relation tothe 4lower member.

,3. articulator comprising a base for a lower denture having a pair of upstanding supporting posts,-s'aid fposts being provided withforwardly and downwardly inclined ways each open at the upper'fe'nd and l.terminating at the lowerV end in semi-cylindrical alined bearings, a top bracket .upper end and vterminating at the lower end 'in semi-cylindrical alined bearings, a top bracket member for the upper denture, said bracket having a transverse threaded bore, a pair of trunnions adapted to normally rest in said semi-cylindrical bearings and each provided with a threaded inner end engaging in said threaded bore whereby the upper bracket may be laterally adjusted relative to the base, means on said trunnions adapted to engage the inner ends of said bearings to limit the outward movement of said trunnions, and means on the outer ends of said trunnions to manipulate the bracket.

5. An articulator comprising a base for a lower denture having a pair of upstanding supporting posts, said posts being provided with forwardly and downwardly inclined ways each open at the upper end and terminating at the lower end in semi-cylindrical alined bearings, a cross member connecting said posts adjacent their upper ends, a top bracket member for the upper denture, said bracket having a transverse threaded bore, a pair of trunnions adapted to normally rest in said semi-cylindrical bearings and each provided with a threaded inner end engaging in said threaded bore whereby the upper bracket may be laterally adjusted relative to the base and resilient means carried by said cross member for yieldingly holding said trunnions in said bearings.

6. An articulator comprising a base for a lower denture having a pair of upstanding supporting posts, said posts being provided with forwardly and downwardly inclined ways each open at the upper end and terminating at the lower end in semi-cylindrical alined bearings, an arched cross member connecting said posts adjacent their upper ends, a stop member threaded through said cross member and having an enlarged head on its lower end providing a flat bearing surface substantially parallel with the plane of said inclined ways, a top bracket member for the upper denture, said bracket having a transverse threaded bore, a pair of trunnions adapted to normally rest in said semi-cylindrical bearings and each provided with a threaded inner end engaging in said threaded bore whereby the upper bracket may be laterally adjusted relative to the base, resilient means for yieldingly holding said trunnions in said bearings,` a depending member on said top bracket extending rearwardly andupwardly to engage said head, and means for locking said stop member in adjusted position.

'7. Anarticulator comprising a base for -a lower denture having a pair of upstanding supporting posts, said posts being provided wtih forwardly and downwardly inclined ways each open at the upper end and terminating at the lower end in semi-cylindrical alined bearings, a top bracket member for the upper denture, said bracket having a transverse threaded bore, a pair of trunnionsv adapted to normally rest in said semicylindrical bearings and each provided with a threaded inner end Iengaging in said threaded bore whereby the upper bracket ymay be laterally adjustedrelative to the base, means for rest in said semi-cylindrical bearings and eachl provided with a threaded inner end engaging in said threaded bore whereby the upper bracket may be laterally adjusted relative to the base, said arched member being formed with a at forward face, a bowed spring, lugs on said arched member holding the central portion of said spring 'against said flat face, and the ends of said spring being recurved to engage said trunnions to yieldingly hold the same in said bearings.

EDWARD L. CHOTT. 

